Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Always start low and go high?  (Read 3355 times)

BurghBeezer

  • Guest
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #15 on: April 01, 2016, 08:43:18 am »
In the 'Have You Seen Ester?' article on experimental brewing:
http://www.experimentalbrew.com/blogs/saccharomyces/have-you-seen-ester

Saccharomyces wrote the following in response to a comment:
Quote
One thing that I do differently than is the current norm is that I tend to pitch warm (20C/68F to 22C/73F), and then allow the batch to slowly drop down to fermentation temperature of 18C/65F (fermentation temperature, not ambient temperature). A culture is not going to express as much of its individual character if one is pitching cold and allowing the batch to warm up to fermentation temperature. That strategy is for achieving the lowest possible yeast contribution from a yeast strain. It works great for American-style ales; however, in my humble opinion, it is not the not the right approach for fruity ales.

Have never tried this, but I'm going to experiment with this on lower alcohol brews with English yeasts.

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27093
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #16 on: April 01, 2016, 08:44:08 am »
Not that I've found so far for my own tastes.  I have heard of people who start saison or Belgian styles high, but I don't care the results of doing that.

I've only done one hot fermentation and it did really help to get 3724 to finish.  I don;t detect anything unpleasant in the beer.

What is your 3724 protocol?  I've had too many stuck to mess around with this yeast.  I have not tried open ferm but I'm also using better bottles so I dont know how much benefit I'll get.

Just like always..start cool, finish warm.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27093
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #17 on: April 01, 2016, 08:45:20 am »
Always start at the low end of the recommended yeast temperature range (possibly even lower).  When primary fermentation subsides, slowly ramp to the desired temperature.

Are there any exceptions (or yeasts that are an exception) to this rule?

That's what they say.  Who "they" are and whether "they" are right, who the hell knows.  We all just blindly do what the Pope tells us to do I guess.  It sure does seem to work well for everyone though, including me.

"They" is "us".
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Joe Sr.

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4467
  • Chicago - NORTH SIDE
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #18 on: April 01, 2016, 08:50:05 am »
Just like always..start cool, finish warm.

You don't find 3724 to require more attention?

The 2nd to last time I used it I went with my typical cool to warm and brought it up higher than I usually go to finish.  I still didn't have it finish where I wanted/hoped.  Nor where it finished when fermented warm throughout.

But, again, I haven't tried it without an airlock.  Must do that soon.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27093
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #19 on: April 01, 2016, 09:21:42 am »
Just like always..start cool, finish warm.

You don't find 3724 to require more attention?

The 2nd to last time I used it I went with my typical cool to warm and brought it up higher than I usually go to finish.  I still didn't have it finish where I wanted/hoped.  Nor where it finished when fermented warm throughout.

But, again, I haven't tried it without an airlock.  Must do that soon.

It's been quite a while but I don't recall any problems at all and my notes don't indicate any issues.  I didn't do an open fermentation since I wasn't aware of that advantage when I used it.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline brewinhard

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3272
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #20 on: April 01, 2016, 11:52:19 am »
In the 'Have You Seen Ester?' article on experimental brewing:
http://www.experimentalbrew.com/blogs/saccharomyces/have-you-seen-ester

Saccharomyces wrote the following in response to a comment:
Quote
One thing that I do differently than is the current norm is that I tend to pitch warm (20C/68F to 22C/73F), and then allow the batch to slowly drop down to fermentation temperature of 18C/65F (fermentation temperature, not ambient temperature). A culture is not going to express as much of its individual character if one is pitching cold and allowing the batch to warm up to fermentation temperature. That strategy is for achieving the lowest possible yeast contribution from a yeast strain. It works great for American-style ales; however, in my humble opinion, it is not the not the right approach for fruity ales.

Have never tried this, but I'm going to experiment with this on lower alcohol brews with English yeasts.

Yes, I was going to reference this as well from Mark.  I plan on trying this next with my Thames River Valley II strain and a simple bitter.  Pitch around 72-73F and let slowly cool during the lag time to 66-68F for primary fermentation, then most likely warm up a tad to clean up after itself.

Offline klickitat jim

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8604
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #21 on: April 01, 2016, 02:35:45 pm »
Last year with 3724 I used the 68F "free rise" to pretty hot technique, but not open, and I was still using decanted quiescent yeast then. They were standard strength. After 6 weeks it was still 1.010 so I pitched brett L. Finished at 1.003.

This year, I'm going table strength, pitching active starter, using foil, and not going above 72 (like normal ales) and being more patient. We shall see...

Offline dilluh98

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 575
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #22 on: April 01, 2016, 02:58:42 pm »
Last year with 3724 I used the 68F "free rise" to pretty hot technique, but not open, and I was still using decanted quiescent yeast then. They were standard strength. After 6 weeks it was still 1.010 so I pitched brett L. Finished at 1.003.

This year, I'm going table strength, pitching active starter, using foil, and not going above 72 (like normal ales) and being more patient. We shall see...

I think you will like the results of the latter approach. Perhaps I did something wrong but the two times I fermented a saison warm/hot from the get-go, I did not like the results. Dry? Yes. Balanced/Subtle? Not even close.

Offline HoosierBrew

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 13031
  • Indianapolis,IN
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #23 on: April 01, 2016, 06:49:44 pm »
I'll add that, of the times I fermented 3724 at high temps from the get go, one of those times was crazy good, the others pretty good but not as much so. Then I went to holding 65F for 3 days, then ramping up to 90 F. Made a couple really good beers, some pretty good beers for the rest. Now I'm holding 65F for 3 days then slow ramping to 72-78 ish (depending on what I'm doing). Don't forget the 3724 option of foil over the airlock for 4 days, then pitching a packet of Belle (or some 3711) to finish the job. Don't need to go over 75F if you do this.
Jon H.

Offline Philbrew

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 867
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #24 on: April 01, 2016, 09:38:20 pm »
I'll add that, of the times I fermented 3724 at high temps from the get go, one of those times was crazy good, the others pretty good but not as much so. Then I went to holding 65F for 3 days, then ramping up to 90 F. Made a couple really good beers, some pretty good beers for the rest. Now I'm holding 65F for 3 days then slow ramping to 72-78 ish (depending on what I'm doing). Don't forget the 3724 option of foil over the airlock for 4 days, then pitching a packet of Belle (or some 3711) to finish the job. Don't need to go over 75F if you do this.
Is there a dry version of 3724?
Many of us would be on a strict liquid diet if it weren't for pretzels.

Offline HoosierBrew

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 13031
  • Indianapolis,IN
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #25 on: April 01, 2016, 09:42:49 pm »
I'll add that, of the times I fermented 3724 at high temps from the get go, one of those times was crazy good, the others pretty good but not as much so. Then I went to holding 65F for 3 days, then ramping up to 90 F. Made a couple really good beers, some pretty good beers for the rest. Now I'm holding 65F for 3 days then slow ramping to 72-78 ish (depending on what I'm doing). Don't forget the 3724 option of foil over the airlock for 4 days, then pitching a packet of Belle (or some 3711) to finish the job. Don't need to go over 75F if you do this.
Is there a dry version of 3724?



Nope, sorry.
Jon H.

Offline reverseapachemaster

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3778
    • Brain Sparging on Brewing
Re: Always start low and go high?
« Reply #26 on: April 02, 2016, 09:38:49 am »
I always start low and go high although the range of low and high are different for different yeast. I pitch saison at 75F and raise to 85F within a day. Two or three days after fermentation ends I let it cool down to ambient to clean up. It doesn't need to sit at artificially warm temperatures to do that.
Heck yeah I blog about homebrewing: Brain Sparging on Brewing